Air circulatory insole



Sept. 27, 1966 G. A. LUKAS AIR CIRCULATORY INSOLE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 14, 1965 INVENTOR. GEORGE A. LUKAS ATTORNEY Sept. 27, 1966 G. A. LUKAS 3,274,708

AIR CIRCULATORY INSOLE Filed Oct. 14, 1965 a Sheets-Sheet 2 I. If

I I I I! I I.

INVENTOR. GEORGE A. LU KAS ATTORN EY Sept. 27, 1966 G. A. LUKAS 3,274,703

AIR CIRCULATORY INSOLE Filed 001:. 14, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIGII INVENTOR.

GEORGE A. LUKAS ATTORN EY United States Patent 3,274,708 AIR CIRCULATORY INSOLE George A. Lukas, 4 W. Labonte Ave., Saco, Maine 04072 Filed Oct. 14, 1965, Ser. No. 495,855 1 Claim. (Cl. 36-3) This invention relates generally to insoles for shoes and more particularly to an improved insole construction wherein resilient angular projections both cushion the wearer and control the flow of air through the shoe.

There have heretofore been many varieties of designs for cushioning insoles adapted for use either as an integral part of a shoe or as a removable unit. The majority of these constructions are made of a sponge type material where the basic requirement is compressibility. Furthermore, the problem of ventilating a shoe by providing various types of insoles containing venturi chambers and spacing ribs has been attempted in the past.

However, the primary problem of providing a cushioning insole to directionally control the flow of air from the heel to the toe of the shoe has yet to be solved. It is well known that the toe portion of the average shoe, being a confined area, does not receive a supply of air normally present in the heel.

Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved insole for directionally controlling the flow of air through a shoe.

It is another object of this invention to provide a cushioning insole having a series of integral angularly inclined spacing members defining air chambers.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a cushioning insole wherein a series of laterally aligned air chambers are sequentially compressed during the use of the shoe.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a cushioning insole having a series of individual compartments on the lower surface thereof which act as individual pumping chambers when the upper surface of the insole is stressed.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

Broadly stated one feature of this invention is to provide a cushioning insole which may be an integral portion of the shoe or may be supplied independent of the shoe for insertion therein, which provides a series of downwardly extending, angularly inclined resilient supporting members which are laterally spaced from each other defining a series of air compartments. The insole when positioned within a shoe forms a channel the sides of which are formed by the inner area of the shoe surface. During the normal walking operation these members are sequentially compressed forcing the air contained in each of the compartments to an adjacent compartment thereby undirectionally controlling the flow of air throughout the lower portion of the shoe.

To the accomplishment of this and the foregoing related ends, the present invention then consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claim, the annexed drawings and the following description setting forth in detail certain means in the carrying out of the invention, such disclosed means illustrating however but one of the various ways in which the principle of this invention may be employed.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the insole embodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is a view in section taken on line 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view in section of a modified form of this invention.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary View of another modification of this invention.

FIG. 5 is a top plan View of another modification of this invention.

FIG. 6 is a view in section taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a view in section taken on line 77 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a view in section taken on line 88 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 9 is a view in section of still a further modified form of this invention.

FIG. 10 is a view in perspective of one method of manufacturing the insole.

FIG. 11 is a view in perspective of one step in the manufacturing of the insole.

Reference is now to be had to the drawings wherein an illustrative embodiment of the insole, a construction made in accordance with the present invention and designated by the reference numeral 10 as shown.

The insole 10 may be made of various impervious or semi-permeable plas-tomers or elastomers or of artificial leather or any of the various poromeric materials and may be of hollow construction or contain fillers of fibrous or porous materials.

Referring to FIG. 1, there is illustrated the insole 10, having a configuration adaptable for insertion with a shoe. A series of air intake ports 12, transversely spaced from each other, extend through the thickness of the insole and are located at points spaced from heel 14 of the insole. A similar series of air discharge ports 15, extend transversely across the toe portion 18 of the insole at points spaced from toe 20 of the insole. The remaining surface 22 of the insole is imperfora-te for reasons which will be fully set forth hereinafter.

In FIG. 2, which is a longitudinal section of the insole 10, are shown a series of resilient support members 24 angularly extending downward from the upper portion 26 of the insole 10, with each member 24 separated from each other by a compartment 25 and with an enlarged base 27 and a narrow tip 29. Each of these members 24 are tooth shaped and their angular relationship with the upper portion 26 of the insole 10 inclines the member in the direction of the toe 20 so that a portion of the trailing edge 28 bears against the upper surface of the shoe sole 30. The angular relationship of the members 24 with the insole 10 is greater than FIG. 2 which represents the entire cross section of the insole has been represented as three zones of stress, x, y and z for purposes of defining the action of the members 24 during actual operation of the insole. Zone x shows that portion of the members 24 in the unloaded position, zone y is the loaded position wherein the members 24 have been deflected due to the weight of the body so that a greater portion of the trailing edge 28 bears on the sole 30 and the area of the compartment 25 is reduced, zone 1 just prior to loading and at the terminal end of the stress area.

In FIG. 3 there is shown a modified form of the invention in which the insole 10 has the series of tooth shaped members 24a longitudinally spaced from each other and extending from the upper portion 26a and angularly inclined away from the heel 14a towards the toe 20a. The area or compartments 25a disposed between each of the tooth members 24a contain a porous filler material 30a such as sponge, rubber or the like for a purpose to be set forth more fully hereinafter.

In FIG. 4, there is still another modified form of the invention wherein the insole 10b has a series of angularly inclined downwardly extending members 24b of uniform thickness from base 27b to tip 2%. The compartments 25!; between the members 24b contain porous filler materials 30b.

In FIGURES 5-8 and FIGURES 10-11 there is shown another modification of this invention wherein the insole has a series of laterally spaced channels 32c formed therein adapted to receive strips of the members 240.

3 In FIG. 9 there is illustrated a still further modification of this invention wherein two opposing rows of members 24d having their tips 29c abut against each other to pro- .vide larger compartments 25d between the members 24d This invention is designed to effect the transfer of air from the heel portion of the shoe towards the toe by means of the walking action of the shoe wearer.

The actual operation is best illustrated by refering to FIG. 2, wherein air is permitted to enter through the insole by means of the air intake ports 12. As the foot compresses the insole 10, the weight causes the tooth members 24 to deflect and due to their angular configuration a greater portion'of the trailing edge bears on the shoe surface reducing the area of the compartment 25 and forcing the air contained therein toward the toe 20. The pressure thus created within the insole forces the air upwards through the discharge ports 15; when the foot is raised, the members 24, due to their resilient characteristics resume their original position causing a pressure differential and allowing air to be drawn in from the intake ports 12. In this manner the insole acts like a pump circulating air from the rear towards the toe portion of the shoe.

By partially filling the compartments with a porous filler material 30a, as shown in FIGURES 3 and 4, the number of tooth members 24a may be reduced allowing larger compartments 25a permitting greater quantities of air to be contained therein.

While there have been described herein what are at present considered preferred embodiments of the invention it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that modifications and changes may be made therein without departing from the essence of this invention. It is therefore to be understood that'the exemplary embodiments are illustrative and not restrictive of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the appended claim, and that all modifications that come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claim are intended to be included therein.

I claim:

An insole for foot Wear, comprising,

(a) a resilient body having an upper imperforate median surface,

(b) air intake ports disposed adjacent one distal end and extending transversely across said body,

(0) air discharge ports extending transversely across the other distal end of said body,

(d) a plurality of resilient support members extending downwardly from said body and angularly declined in the direction of said discharge ports, the angle of said support members with said body being greater than (e) each of said support members extending completely across said body and being longitudinally spaced from each other defining compartments therebetween,

whereby said support members are deflected during walking directionally controlling the flow of air from the intake ports to the discharge ports.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 616,112 12/1898 Kennedy 363 1,852,883 4/1932 Gustaveson 363 2,722,063 11/1955 Drefvelin 36-3 2,725,646 12/1955 Schmidt 36-3 3,050,875 8/1962 Robbins 36-3 FOREIGN PATENTS 499,623 3/ 1951 Belgium.

JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner. PATRICK D. LAWSON, Examiner, 

